Transfer method of producing artistically variegated multicolored flock pictures



Jan. 27, 1970 c. OBERG 3,492,143

TRANSFER METHOD OF PRODUCING ARTISTICALLY VARIEGATED MULTICOLORED FLOCK PICTURES Filed Oct. 14. 1965 iiT/l kz rae [Kw/5 63 65:25

United States Patent M US. Cl. 11725 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A first water resistant sheet has a design or picture outlined thereon with white flocking applied to the various portions between the outlines, and a matching design or picture in reverse is provided on the under side of an overlay sheet of water resistant material foldable relative to one edge of the first sheet to bring the matching design or picture into register with the first mentioned design or picture. One may then color portions of the matching design or picture on the overlay sheet using indelible material, so that, after the flocked sheet is wetted, the first mentioned design or picture is colored by light finger pressure applied to the back of the overlay sheet. Spacing the flocked areas relative to one another by color separation lines avoids blurring by mixing of colors along the edges of neighboring portions of the flocked design or picture.

My invention relates to a transfer method of producing artistically variegated multicolored flock pictures.

A salient feature of my invention is the use of colored indelible pencils on the transfer flap, and flock material on the picture to be colored, the flocked areas being embossed and spaced by color separation lines from neighboring flocked areas to avoid running of color from one area into another by capillary attraction, to enable obtaining good results with less skill, the flock material being Wetted with a sponge, cloth, or brush, and any excess water being removed by blotting, so as to leave the flock damp dry before the transfer flap is folded over the flock area and rubbed on the back with fairly light finger pressure to transfer the colors from the flap to the flock, the colors giving a water color effect, truly artistic effects being obtainable when the operator learns the knack of getting the desired shading effects and highlighting by applying finger pressure oftener and longer in a selected area or areas and also learns color blending.

Another salient feature of the invention is the use of the idea as above outlined with less or even no separation of the flocked areas to obtain a better water color appearance, this procedure being recommended only for the more experienced and skilled artists.

Two methods are available to produce the uncolored flock pictures, namely, silk screen process or printing or offset, the latter being considered the more preferable. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an uncolored black and white flocked picture;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-section of a portion of the picture of FIG. 1, as indicated by the section line 22, to illustrate the embossing o-f flocked areas, the unflocked areas appearing as black color separation lines therebetween as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates the method of coloring the numbered areas on the transfer flap using the appropriately numbered pencils of the group shown in FIG. 3A for the coloring of similarly numbered areas of the picture;

FIG. 4 illustrates the wetting of the uncolored flocked picture of FIG. 1 preparatory to the transfer operation illustrated in FIG. 5;

3,492,143 Patented Jan. 27, 1970 FIG. 6 illustrates the final step of cutting ofi the transfer flap from the finished picture;

FIG. 7 shows the finished picture after the transfer flap has been cut off;

FIG. 8 shows a flap and flocked picture printed as a single unit on one sheet of water-proof sheet material;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, the difference being that there is no black and white line drawing reproduction for the flocked area in the right-hand half of the folder, and

FIG. 10 shows another variation of FIGS. 8 and 9 wherein the right and left hand transfer flaps are made up as a single unit on one sheet of water-proof sheet material with the central portion that is flocked, the one flap being for blending of colors and the other for application of coloring on details.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 10 designates a complete unit made for us with the method of my invention consisting of a base picture blank of flexible water-proof sheet material 11 preferably of somewhat heavier and stiffer stock than the transfer flap 12 that is also of water-proof sheet material and suitably attached to the base 11 along one edge, as indicated by the staples 13 in FIG. 5. Where the unit 10 is made by the silk screen process, the base or picture blank 11 will be of black water-proof sheet material and only a negative film is necessary for the preparation of the silk screen. This screen is used to print a white flock adhesive of the picture or design onto the black water-proof sheet 11, as shown at 14 in FIG. 1, creating a black and white line drawing, the other areas appearing as black lines as seen at 15 in FIG. 1. On the inside of the transfer flap 12 is printed a simple line picture 16 corresponding to the picture 14 but in reverse, the picture 16 being printed by any type of printing press or offset press. The picture base or blank 11 is flocked with white rayon flock before the adhesive has dried, the flock adhering only to the areas covered with the adhesive, as indicated at 17 in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 22 of FIG. 1 and indicates how the flock 17 adheres to the areas imprinted with the adhesive, leaving spaces 18 therebetween that appear as black lines 19 in the picture in FIGS. 3 and 4. Although a fiber length of .030" is recommended for fine detail, .045" to .060" may be used for unusual effects where detail is not important. The flocked areas appear embossed as indicate-d at 17 in FIG, 2 while the unflocked areas 18, which are unembossed appear as black lines, these unembossed portions preventing colors from running into one another in the subsequent operation.

If the base picture or blank 11 is printed on a white sheet of water-proof material as a black and white line or half-tone illustration, the white areas only are printed with a clear water-proof adhesive, as at 14, this requiring two printings instead of the one necessary in the silk screen method because of the adhesives transparency, and a different effect can be achieved by over-printing. Only the areas to be later used for color separation are left unflocked, as at 1819, the remaining areas being covered with flock as at 17. Fine black lines or half-tone dots are visible through the white flock and, when the flock is colored by the artist, many different shades of the same color can be produced; for example, one color of red becomes many shades of red, green becomes many shades of green, and so forth. This same effect can be produced by the silk screen process if a white water-proof sheet and transparent adhesive are used, but that, of course, would require two impressions instead of one.

Coming now to the coloring of the flocked picture by the artist, this is a color by number operation, using colored indelible pencils like those indicated at 20 in FIG.

3A, or Water soluble pencils or crayons, on the transfer flap 12. Assuming six colors are to be used, the six dif ferently colored pencils 20 will be numbered 1 to 6 as seen in FIG. 3A and the areas to be colored on the transfer flap 12 will be numbered to correspond with the numbering of these pencils, as seen at 21 in FIG. 1. In FIG. 3 the artist whose hand appears at 22 is coloring the area 2 using the pencil 20 numbered 2 for a given color. The entire picture on the flap 12 is colored. After all of the coloring work has been done on the transfer flap 12, the artist exercising his or her artistic ability to the fullest extent by shading with each pencil to get the right highlights on rounded surfaces and the proper shadow eflect, assuming the light is coming from a certain direction in relation to the objects being illustrated, the next step is to thoroughly dampen the base picture 11 with clear water, using a sponge, cloth, or a brush and patting the water on as indicated at 23 in FIG. 4. The White rayon flock material 17 absorbs the water readily While the unflocked areas shown by lines 19 shed it, thus preventing one color from running into another when the transfer operation is being done or after that. It is well to eliminate excess water, using a blotter, leaving all of the flocked areas damp dry, before the transfer flap 12 is pressed into contact with the flocked areas as shown in FIG. 5 by gently stroking on the outside with the finger or fingers, as indicated at 24, until the entire surface of the transfer flap 12 has been rubbed. The flap may be raised and lowered one or more times during this operation to check the results and make sure that no areas have been missed. Also, if some area or areas need more color emphasis, those areas can be singled out in an additional transfer operation or operations, concentrating the finger pressure in the right places for as long as considered advisable. Care must be taken in each transfer operation not to apply enough finger pressure to flatten any of the fibers of the flock because to do so would give rise to the danger of colors on otherwise separated areas running together by capillary attraction and blurring the design or picture. After this, the flap 12 is folded back and the colored picture 11 is allowed to dry thoroughly, whereupon the transfer flap 12 is cut off, as indicated at 25 in FIG. 6 giving the resulting picture as seen in FIG. 7.

In operation, because of the simplicity of the various operations, and the beautiful full color flocked pictures obtainable, this idea appeals to children and adults alike. After some experience, it is possible to color even the most detailed picture in this fashion without extraordinary skill as a truly fine artist. In the production of the units 10, both the flap 12 and the picture base 11 may be printed in one operation for economy and to insure perfect registration between the areas on 12 with the corresponding areas on 11. If a lighter-weight sheet material is used for the transfer flap 12 instead of the heavier stock used in the picture base 11, a less expensive product is obtained, and, for still further economy in production, I may make the units as shown at 10a and 10b in FIGS. 8 and 9, respectively, where the flaps 12a and 12b are made from a single piece of sheet material with the related picture base 11a and 11b, respectively, a fold line being scored between the two halves, as indicated at 26, along Which the transfer flap folds and can be subsequently cut off as previously described in respect to FIG. 6. This is an ideal method for producing smaller pictures, the size overall being governed, of course, by the capacity of the printing press. In FIG. '8 there is a black and white line drawing reproduction, as at 1412, as In FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 for the flocked areas 17a, this being the reverse of the line drawing 16a that is printed on the transfer flap 12a. There is no such drawing reproduction in FIG. 9 where the entire area 27 is covered with white flock. In FIG. 8, the procedure is the same as in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, with comparable results. With FIG. 9, however, after the artist has colored theflap 12b with the indelible pencils and has wetted the flocked area 27, removing excess water by blotting, and then has folded the flap 12b over the flocked area and rubbed it on the outer side to transfer the colors from the flap to the picture, the final result is a close reproduction of a Water color painting inasmuch as no black lines are there for color separation, depending only on colors to give true water color effect.

FIG. 10 shows a further variation of FIG. 9 where there are two transfer flaps 12c and 12d printed in one piece with a middle picture base 11c, and the flaps are foldable on scored lines 26. A black a white line drawing reproduction for the flocked areas 170 is provided on the middle portion 11c, as indicated at 14c, and matching portions are imprinted on the two flaps 12c and 12d as indicated at 16b and 16c, flap 120 being the preliminary color blending flap and 12d the final detail flap, this combination being especially effective for landscapes and other pictures where blending and details are to be combined to produce unusual and beautiful effects. The left flap 120 for blending purposes will have its areas numbered similarly as in FIGS. 8 and 9 and only the background coloring as for the sky, ground and water will be applied, whereas the right flap 12d will be used to concentrate on the details like the trees, the house, the stump, and other details, only these areas being colored by number. Then the flocked middle portion 11c is wetted thoroughly and without blotting to a damp dry condition to remove excess water, the blending flap 120 is folded over the middle portion 11c and rubbed lightly on the back to transfer colors. Then this flap is opened and the artist watches one color blend into another until the desired degree of blending is obtained after which the picture base should be blotted to a damp dry condition before the right or detail flap 12d is folded over the middle portion 11c and rubbed until all of the detail colors have been transferred, completing the picture.

Although I believe that white rayon flock produces the finest pictures, other materials may be used, including water color paper. Flock gives the advantage that it retains moisture for a considerable length of time, giving the artist plenty of time to transfer colors from the flap to the flock, whereas water evaporates from paper more rapidly, giving the artist less time to make the transfer, and, unless he is skilled in these operations, the results might not be satisfactory.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, this is only for the purpose of illustration, and it is to be understood that various modifications in structure will occur to a person skilled in this art.

I claim:

1. The method of making a colored picture having the apperance of water coloring which consists in providing a first sheet of water-resistant material with the outline of a picture thereon, providing an overlay sheet of waterresistant material with the same picture outlined thereon but in reverse, coloring the picture on the overlay sheet with water soluble coloring material, applying adhesive to areas to be flocked in the picture on the first sheet, applying water absorbent flock material over the adhesive, then wetting the flock material with water preparatary to transfer thereto of the coloring from the coloring material, and, while the second sheet is overlying the first sheet with the pictures in register, pressing the sheets together lightly and only long enough to transfer coloring material from said overlay sheet to the picture on the first sheet without flattening fibres of the flock material.

2. The method of making a colored picture having the appearance of water coloring which consists in providing a first sheet of water-resistant material with the outline of a picture thereon, providing an overlay sheet of waterresistant material with the same picture outlined thereon but in reverse, coloring the picture on the overlay sheet with water soluble coloring material, applying adhesive to areas to be flocked in the picture on the first sheet, in such a way that each area to be colored one color is spaced along its periphery by color separation lines slightly from the periphery of a neighboring area, whereby to reduce risk of colors running together and blurring the picture, applying water absorbent flock material over the adhesive, then wetting the flock material with water preparatory to transfer thereto of the coloring fro-m the coloring material, and, while the second sheet is overlying the first sheet with the pictures in register, pressing the sheets together lightly and only long enough to transfer coloring material from said overlay sheet to the picture on the first sheet without flattening fibres of the flock material.

3. The method of making a colored picture having the appearance of water coloring which consists in providing a first sheet of water-resistant material with the outline of a picture thereon, providing an overlay sheet of waterresistant material with the same picture outlined thereon but in reverse, coloring the picture on the overlay sheet with water soluble coloring material, applying adhesive to areas to be flocked in the picture on the first sheet,

. applying water absorbent flock material over the adhesive, then wetting the flock material with water preparatory to transfer thereto of the coloring from the coloring material on the overlay sheet, blotting the wetted sheet to remove excess water and make it uniformly damp dry, and, while the second sheet is overlying the first sheet with the pictures in register, pressing the sheets together lightly and only long enough to transfer coloring to the picture on the first sheet without flattening fibres of the flock material.

4. The method of making a colored picture having the appearance of water coloring which consists in providing a first sheet of water-resistant material with the outline of a picture thereon, providing an overlay sheet of waterresistant material with the same picture outlined thereon but in reverse, coloring the picture on the overlay sheet with water soluble coloring material, applying adhesive to areas to be flocked in the picture on the first sheet, in such a way that each area to be colored one color is spaced along its periphery slightly from the periphery of a neighboring area, whereby to reduce risk of colors running together and blurring the picture, applying water absorbent flock material over the adhesive, then wetting the flock material with water preparatory to transfer thereto of the coloring from the coloring material on the overlay sheet, blotting the wetted sheet to remove excess water and make it uniformly damp dry, and, while the second sheet is overlying the first sheet with the pictures in register, pressing the sheets together lightly and only long enough to transfer coloring to the picture on the first sheet without flattening fibres of the flock material.

5. The method of making a colored picture having the appearance of water coloring which consists in providing a first sheet of water-resistant material with the outline of a picture thereon, providing other overlay sheets of water-resistant material each at least with different portions of the same picture outlined, thereon but in reverse, applying adhesive over certain areas of the picture on the first sheet, applying water absorbent flock material over the adhesive on these areas, coloring the pictures on the overlay sheets with Water soluble coloring material, wetting the first sheet with clear water preparatory to transferring of coloring from the coloring material on the overlay sheet or sheets to the first sheet, and thereafter overlaying one after the other of said overlay sheets on the first sheet with the picture on each overlay sheet in register with the picture on the first sheet and in each such overlay operation pressing the sheets together lightly and only long enough to transfer coloring to the picture on the "first sheet without flattening fibres of the flock material.

6. A method of producing colored designs or pictures having the appearance of water coloring, which consists in providing a master specimen having the areas thereon to be colored flocked with water-absorbent white flock so that the neighboring area or areas are sufficiently spaced by color separation lines to prevent flock of one color area coming in contact with flock of a neighboring area or areas whereby to reduce risk of colors running together by capillary attraction and blurring the design or picture, providing an overlay sheet of water-resistant material having a matching design or picture outlined on the contracting face thereof, applying coloring to different areas of the design or picture on the overlay sheet that have corresponding flocked areas with water soluble material, wetting the flock material with water, and finally, while the overlay sheet is overlying the wetted master specimen one or more times with the designs or pictures in register, applying fairly light finger pressure on the overlay sheet enough to effect color transfer from the overlay sheet to the flock material by contact without flattening fibres of the flock, the amount of color transfer being controlled not only by varying the length of time the overlay sheet is in contact but also by concentrating the most finger pressure in the areas where the most color transfer is desired, and, if necessary, repeating the transfer operation one or more times on a selected area or areas.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,458,508 6/1923 Aiken 35-26 1,799,754 4/1931 Lawrence 8-2.5 1,950,649 3/1934 Bauer 35-26 1,975,542 10/1934 Forsdale 117-25 X 2,533,985 12/1950 Aronstein et al. 117-25 X 2,825,150 3/1958 Steiner 35-26 2,964,858 12/ 1960 Rutherford 35-26. 2,981,588 4/1961 Haber 117-25 X 3,099,514 7/1963 Haber 117-25 X 3,283,419 11/1966 Tytel 35-26 3,284,927 11/1966 Milne 35-26 WILLIAM D. MARTIN, Primary Examiner P. F. ATTAGUILE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

